BB FANS

London 2012: Sir Chris Hoy to carry flag for Team GB BBC

By Simon Head Mirror

London 2012 Olympics Medal-winning artistry: Banksy releases three iconic Olympic pieces

England's famous underground artist has created three stunning works of art ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games

Team GB women's football side are to take on New Zealand in Cardiff's millenium stadium www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

BBC1, 3:30pm - 6pm BBC Sport Interactive BBC 2
Great Britain v New Zealand (Kick-off 4.00pm). Gabby Logan introduces coverage of the opening match of the women's football tournament, and the first action of the Games, staged at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. The sides are joined in Group E by Brazil and Cameroon, and the top two will progress to the quarter-finals, along with the two third-placed nations with the best records in the three groups. England manager Hope Powell has the job of leading Great Britain at the Games, and will be aware of the importance of this match, given the strength of group rivals Brazil and the need to give Team GB a positive start to London 2012. New Zealand are Oceania's sole representative in the tournament, and failed to win a match at last year's World Cup in Germany. With commentary by Guy Mowbray and Lucy Ward, and analysis by Sue Smith and Faye White. Olympic football coverage continues on BBC3 at 7pm.
Radiotimes

By Jeremy Armstrong, Martin Fricker Mirror


London 2012 The Greatest and Goldenballs: Muhammad Ali meets David Beckham as A-listers flock to London

Muhammad Ali led the way with his first public appearance of the Games build-up at a special awards night attended by David Beckham

Great Britain 1-0 New Zealand BBC

Mitt Romney, in his first trip abroad as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, is trying to walk back comments he made questioning London's Olympics preparation -- comments that have drawn a sharp response from Prime Minister David Cameron. www.huffingtonpost.com

Olympic torch greeted by royals at Buckingham Palace BBC

Meet Team GB (all 541 of them!): Andy Hooper's stunning image brings together every Olympic athlete on the eve of the Games

By Andy Hooper mAIL

The opening ceremony of the London Olympics is due to take place later after seven years of preparations.
BBC

London 2012 Ring it on! The greatest show on Earth starts in Britain today... and it's going to be truly AMAZING

Forget the £9.2bn spent, the security staff shambles, the sponsorship rows, the crowds... just let the sun shine and the Games begin
By Laurie Hanna Mirror


Bond, Becks, Beatles, the Baked Bean... brilliant!
Olympic Stadium, London, 20:12 tonight
SUN


New Olympic Games chapter to be written in London

Who will be the new hero? What will be the $1bn image? After a tortuous journey, we're about to find out
INDEPENDENT


London 2012: time to find out who we are

There is a sense that it could go either way, that we might pass this mammoth test or flunk it
Jonathan Freedland GUARDIAN

London 2012 Olympics: Get the party started
After seven years and 21 days of expectation, the moment for Britain to deliver Olympics that “lifts up our world” will finally arrive on Friday. TELEGRAPH

The Morning Star welcomes the many thousands of sports fans and competitors who have arrived in London for tomorrow evening's opening ceremony. We hope they enjoy a spectacular occasion.
www.morningstaronline.co.uk



London 2012 Olympics: The bells, the bells! Big Ben leads the chimes as the UK rings in the Games www.standard.co.uk

Anthony Ogogo won’t get caught up in Olympic hype www.edp24.co.uk

By Brian Reade Mirror

London 2012 opening ceremony Unpredictable and inventive as the British themselves, this was the People's Opening Ceremony

Brian Reade's view of the "epic, jaw-dropping" opening ceremony from Block 220, Row 44, Seat 72 of the Olympics Stadium

Olympics: MP Blasted Over Opening Ceremony Tweets sky.com

The Queen tells of her 'delight' at starring as Olympics ceremony Bond Girl as her stunt double is revealed as... a man named Gary

Professional parachutist Gary Connery and Miss Marple actress Julia McKenzie teamed up to stand in for Her Majesty on film Mail

The teenage dancer whose smile captured the heart of a nation in the opening ceremony has spoken of her pride at taking part



Jasmine Breinburg, 18, of Deptford, south London, was plucked from obscurity for a starring role in Friday night's extravaganza.

She went on a journey through the last five decades of British music which culminated in her kissing a boy, played by 19-year-old Henrique Costa, who found her mobile phone.

As their lips met scenes of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's balcony wedding kiss, and other romantic moments from great British films and TV, were played in the background.

She said: "We had such a good time doing it, I just hope the whole world enjoyed it as much as we did. To me, there is nothing better than to put on a great show and give people a good time and make them laugh.



Telegraph

London 2012: Olympics venues stuffed - Lord Coe BBC

By Nick Owens Mirror


"Rebecca is so lovely, it's so sad anyone could be so mean": Walliams hits back at comedy rival Boyle

Frankie's vile "dolphin face" jibe at Adlington on Twitter has cast a shadow over the Olympic Games feelgood factor sweeping Britain